Orpik and Niskanen. I like it.
For 11 million dollars???
Listen, Niskanen is a fine player. He's not going to blow anyone's doors off, but he'll leave you relatively satisfied at the end of the day. He doesn't have great speed, but makes up for it with decent positioning. He's got a cannon of a shot and can play the PP. He's not overly physical, but isn't afraid to lay the body in the corner. He can't really clear the crease, but is pretty solid in his own end. He makes a great first pass out of the zone and has decent offensive instincts, but doesn't join the rush too often.
He had a great season and earned his payday after resurrecting his career. He got really lucky that it happened when it did and with the names that were out there in FA. Is he worth this much money? Probably not, but with the money that's going around out there, he's gonna get it. All in all he's a pretty good signing, however I'm not fond of the term because of his penchant for disappearing for stretches at times. I'm happy for Matt and I'm sure you'll be happy too.
However, Orpik is a different story. I'm not sure what the heck anyone was thinking here. This was a total sell job by Reirden. I've watched Orpik since he was drafted and to say he is on the downward spiral of his career is being polite. He's struggled with injuries, he's struggled with his game, and he's not getting any younger. I would have welcomed Orpik back in a third pairing role for a couple million max, so my mind is blown that he got this term and money.
If you're looking for a first pass out of the zone, don't look to Orpik. It's either iced, or thrown right to the opposing team. If you're looking for someone that plays sound D position-wise, don't look to him. He's constantly caught out of position, runs around at times chasing hits, and blows his coverage. He's a black hole for offence for sure. He still plays physical at times, but for Reirden to say he was the Pens best penalty killer is a joke. If there's a stat out there of who was on the ice for the most PK goals, Orpik and Scuderi would lead by far. He still skates relatively well though, but not even close to his former speed, but this is understandable with age and injuries.
The upside to this trade is this: He's away from the horrible coach that was Bylsma. It's completely possible that in a more defensive structure that Trotz will bring, that Orpik will be much more effective. Bylsma's system left his D out to dry with the puck a TON, and with Orpik's lack of offensive skills, he was a turnover machine. This could change in Washington. Do I think he'll rebound and be worth 5.25 over the next 5 years? Not even close. But he is a warrior and gave it his all every night he played for Pittsburgh and I'll miss him for that reason.
I hope both work out well for you. I have no questions that Niskanen will, but Orpik might leave a lot to be desired, especially for his price tag.